Julia Alsop interviewed a consultant who specializes in training Hollywood stars in the art of BDSM:

BDSM has seen a bit of a surge in popularity. After getting a boost from 50 Shades of Grey it’s now all over TV and Broadway, driving demand for consultants who can help actors understand the culture.

In many ways consultants simply have to teach actors how to become second order actors. A lot of BDSM is playing the role of a “dom” or a “submissive”.

Understand that character and you’ll understand how it’s not just the words you use, but also subtle things like how you position another person’s body, that get to the root of what BDSM is about.

The consultant that Alsop interviewed did not work on the 50 shades of grey movie – but believes that the movie under-performed because its stars didn’t demonstrate the emotional connection that lies at the heart of BDSM.

Top level consultants can have over $90,000 worth of kinky equipment. They can make at least some of it back by renting it out to movie productions.